Zuko's Memories and Surprises
by Kurizumaru
Summary: Zuko's had a tough life, but there was always that one person there for him, until he was banished, that is. Mostly Action and backflashes, ZukoxOC. Hope you like!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Zuko wakes from his dream breathing hard... as if he were the one doing the bending in his dream. Actually it was a memory. A memory from 10 years ago. He was six and he was watching an exhibition of a young girl about his age bending water and fire at an extremely high level. He doubted even Azula could bend fire at that level. He remembered wondering how she'd learned the water bending, and how she was bending both water and fire at the same time. Who was she? After her performance, his mother clapped enthusiastically and Azula kinda golf clapped. Zuko, on the other hand, just stared. He was enthralled with the girl's performance. She had used her water bending to suspend a large sphere of water over herself and shot different types, shapes, and intensities of fire at it to create huge explosions of steam and sparks. It was truly amazing. That was when Zuko woke up, just as it was over. But after the performance, his mother took him and Azula to meet the girl. Her name was Aya, she was six, and was self taught. After bein born in the fire nation, she tried to hide her water bending, until she found out it was an art that the people of the fire nation enjoyed watching. She had to teach herself because there were no other water benders in the fire nation. It wasn't that hard actually, after she had figured out a few tricks, she started performing for nobles. Most enjoyed it, Lord Ozai however, did not. He saw the girl to be a threat even at age 6. When he became Fire Lord, she disappeared. Nobody knew what happened to her. But one day, Zuko was wandering around the Fire palace complex and ended up down in the smallest most secure dungeon in the fire nation. It was here he discovered the girl was locked up by the Fire Lord. Zuko was confused and outraged at the condition of her cell. She was 10! She should have some decent toys and clothes, and water... he realized there was no water at all in her cell. Zuko yelled to the guards to ger her some water at least to drink. then he went to the opening of her cell.

"Hi, I'm Zuko."

"I'm Aya," she replied kind of depressedly. "Why have I been locked up? What have I done?"

Zuko just looks at her in horror. She was in the most secure prison in the Fire Nation, and she didn't know why. Did his father still think she was a threat?

"Zuko, do you know why I've been locked up?" she asks again quietly.

After shaking his head, Zuko looks down, "I can ask for you."

At this Aya actually smiles, "That would be great, Zuko, thank you."

Zuko smiles back, "Maybe you'd like some toys too? I think I can get some for you."

The guard returns with her water and she gulps it down thirstily. Zuko orders the guard to bring more water and some food too.

Aya looks at Zuko funny, "Why are you doing this? Aren't you the Fire Lord's son?" Zuko nods then explains about seeing her perform 4 years ago. Aya sighs then explains, "I don't know why I'm here, but I know it was the Fire Lord that ordered my incarceration. I just want to know what I did... Or maybe it was the way I was born... a dual bender..."

Zuko looks at her saddly, then sighs, "It's getting late, I have to go, but I'll be back tomorrow." Aya just smiles saddly in return as he turns to leave, "Bye Aya!"

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A/N: Hey, this is my First Avatar fic, so Please let me know how you like it. Review please, but please no flames.


	2. Chapter 2

It's been some rough going for Zuko and Iroh for the past few weeks. After being reported as traitors of the Fire Nation, and having a bounty put on both their heads, they've decided to flee to Ba Sing Se. Zuko hasn't been sleeping well, he's been dreaming about those four years he was going down to the dungeon to visit with Aya. He wondered if she hated him now for not telling her he wouldn't be coming back. After the Ag-Ni-Kai that had resulted in his scar and banishment, he'd immediately left. Over those four years though, he'd watched her grow thin and pale and kinda ragged. Vaguely the thought crossed his mind if she was even still alive. Then, he shook it off, of course she was, she's a strong person with a strong will to survive. She had to be alive. One day, he would return home with his honor intact and he would have her freed immediately. Currently Zuko and Iroh were about a week away from Ba Sing Se on foot, and the first thing on his mind was how to get food. That's when he decided to once again don the blue spirit mask and go raid a market. An hour later he returns with a decent amount of food. Iroh asks only once where he's been, and after not getting an answer decides he'd rather not know. A few hours later they're on the move again, and they're making pretty good time when it starts to rain, heavily. They take shelter under an overhang of rocks. As the rain is pouring down, Zuko starts, once again, to think of Aya, and how she used to love rainy days. Especially days with storms. As she explained it, it combined the two elements that were a part of her more than the others. She used to watch the storms for ideas.

"Uncle," Zuko finally asks, "did you ever see the dual bender, Aya perform?"

Iroh thinks for a second, "You mean that girl that did the most beautiful things with water and fire? I saw her perform to a live orchestra once on New Year's, it was amazing. She created a thunderstorm that never rained, but was beautiful to watch. She disappeared a short time later."

Zuko's jaw drops, during the said New Year's celebration, Zuko was bed ridden with an odd form of chicken pox. It was shortly after Ozai was made Fire Lord, and Iroh had just returned home. Luten's funeral had been a grand affair, and Zuko's mother was long gone, Azula made sure to rub that in every chance she got.

Zuko goes back to thinking about her, before asking, "Uncle, how can two opposite elements reside in the same person?"

"In theory, it represents the conflict and chaos within her, but she was only a child. Perhaps, it was simply one of her parents was a waterbender, and the other a firebender. Maybe she was to be the next avatar but the avatar spirit wasn't passed down since it still resides in the... avatar? She could just be an anomally too," Iroh concludes.

Again, Zuko ponders over memories and thoughts of Aya, "Uncle, why did my father think she was a threat to the Fire Nation?"

Iroh shrugs in response, "There are many things I do not understand about my brother. The way he thinks is one of them."

Lying back, Zuko slips into a light sleep where thoughts of his childhood dance through his head as he dreams. Aya is at the forefront of these thoughts, and most of all the fun times they had together in the dungeon. He would bring toys and water and weapons, and they'd play or train, sometimes, she'd just put on a show for him. She helped him with his bending, mostly to try to keep up with Azula, but of course, he fell behind. However, he trained solely with her in the dual sword style. She knew some from her father and could make blades of ice to train with. It wasn't until he left home that he'd bought the set he now carried. All those times he had to wear tight gloves because the ice was so cold seem so long ago now. Even though it was only four years. There was one time, for his birthday, he asked his father for a day with Aya outside of the prison. His father agreed, however Aya had chains on her arms and ankles and they were surrounded by several guards. Despite the restrictions in her movement, Aya still managed to put on a beautiful show with her bending for Zuko's birthday present. Immediately after the show was over, he gave her a long hug and a sincere thank you.

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A/N: I'm sorry these are short, I'm trying to make them longer, this one's longer by about 100 words. 3 will be out either monday night, or tuesday. So, I'll try to get a few out a week!!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Some people have told me to watch the Mary Sue tendencies of my OC, to those of you who are worried, BE PATIENT, she is not in any way a Mary Sue, and Will not be. TRUST ME, I'm sick of those too... LOL Just enjoy the story.

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The rain had passed and Iroh almost felt sorry he had to wake his nephew. He knew he hadn't been sleeping well. But nonetheless, they had to get to Ba Sing Se. They travel on for several more hours before finally deciding to stop for the night. They eat some food then, Iroh starts to sing quietly. His singing is just enough to lull Zuko into a light sleep.

As Zuko starts to dream, the images turn toward his mother, Ursa. Memories of just lying in her arms while she told him stories, or of playing games with her. Even though she always seemed to favor Zuko, he knew in his heart she could never choose between her children, even though Azula was deffinately more talented and ruthless than Zuko, Ursa loved them both the same.

Aya also weaves in and out of his thoughts, bringing back happy memories of training and games. There was this one time, when Aya was working on a complex waterbending move shifting between ice and water and ice again, leaving it in a wavy serpentine shape. While Zuko was working on a slightly more difficult form of the flame dagger than he previously knew. Once he gets that nearly mastered, Aya shows him some simple forms and moves to use with them.

She warns Zuko though, "These are hotter and of greater risk to you than the others, so be careful. I don't want to have to heal you so much."

Zuko blushes and retorts with, "I'm not a little kid. I won't burn myself."

He starts to work with the forms she taught him and almost immediately burns his leg.

"Ouch! Dammit!" he yells in disgust with himself.

"See, I told you to be careful," Aya chides.

She ushers him over to where the bars and she uses the water healing ability to heal his leg like new. He gives her a sheepish smile and then thanks her quietly. Aya shakes her head at his embarassment.

A few minutes later he's called away to a family meeting with Fire Lord Azulan. Zuko didn't remember much about that meeting.

As a matter of fact it was morning and it was time to move again. Iroh and Zuko pack up their few possesions and start to move toward Ba Sing Se again.

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A/N: The next chapter you will see some major changes.


	4. Chapter 4

Several weeks later, Iroh and Zuko finally arrive at Ba Sing Se. They get work in the tea shop. Then Iroh gets his own tea shop. Then Zuko and Azula take over the city. They're running the city on their own authority, when about a week later, Zuko is taking a walk in the city. He's suddenly grabbed by the arm, thrown against a wall down an alley and a flame dagger is at his throat.

"I should kill you where you stand for what you've done to this city," the mysterious girl threatens softly.

"Who are you and what right do you have to treat the Fire Lord's son like this?!" he demands.

The girl smirks, "One who knows where to find your mother."

"You... You know where she is?" Zuko asks trepidaciously.

The girl nods and glares at him, "You will release the Fire Nation's hold over this city if you ever want to see her again."

Zuko just keeps staring at her. This girl, who is she? She seems so familiar... Mother, she knows where to find my mother. Or does she?

"You say you know my mother," he begins, "Then tell me, what is her name?"

The attacker simply replies, "Ursa."

Zuko gasps and demands, "Tell me where she is."

The girl just glares at him, "First the Fire Nation will leave this city."

"I don't have that kind of power," he goes on, "My sister, Azula, she could do it. However, I cannot."

"Leave Azula to me. She is no match," she comments.

"Fine, I'll do what I can. You take care of Azula. Then I get to see my mother again?" he asks cautiously.

The girl just nods.

"I'll go start this now," is all Zuko can say.

"Have Azula meet me in the courtyard of the palace," She demands.

"I'll convince her, what time?" Zuko inquires.

"At sundown," She states simply, "The perfect time for an Ag-Ni-Kai."

"How will you get into the palace?" He whispers.

"I have my ways," she replies.

"How do I know you're telling the truth about my mother?" He asks suspiciously.

The girl laughs haughtily, "You can trust me. I won't double cross you, and leave you to die in a prison."

Zuko gasps, but before he can say anything, the girl disappears.

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A/N: Hmm, Review please, What do you all think? Is the mystery girl Aya? We'll find out. Whoever it is seems a bit bitter don't you think?


	5. Chapter 5

Shortly after the incident with the girl, Zuko confronts several of the Fire Nation generals and other high ranking officials about leaving the city. Zuko makes a decent case for other earthbenders coming to reclaim the city and with the troops they have in the city now, it would be a real challenge to even hold them off to evacuate the higher ups.

The older generals decide to talk things over. While they're doing that, Zuko decides it's time to talk to Azula. He finds her sitting in the Throne room, mostly because she likes feeling like she rules the place, and she pretty much does.

"Hey, Azula, I'm bored. Let's go have a duel," Zuko suggests weakly.

"No, dueling you is no fun, Zu-zu. You're just not on my level," Azula laughs in return.

"Then what if I said I found someone who is on your level?" Zuko asks.

"I'd ask where you found someone other than maybe Uncle," she retorts.

Zuko shakes his head, "It's not Uncle. It's a girl, and she claims she's on your level, also, that she can get in here withough alerting any of the guards."

Azula's mouth curls into one of her cruel smiles, "Well, we'll see about that. Put all the guards on their highest alert. I'll be in the courtyard, waiting."

No sooner than sundown does the mysterious girl appear at the entrance to the courtyard. She's dressed in near rags and doesn't have any shoes on. The majority of her face is covered to hide her identity, but her hair is tied up in a pony tail so it stays out of her way.

"Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation, I challenge you to an Ag-Ni-Kai. The conditions are; if you win, I turn myself over willingly, if I win, you leave the city tonight," shouts the girl.

Azula huffs, "Can't we just avoid this whole Ag-Ni-Kai formality and find out who's better?"

The girl growls and throws a concealed dagger past Azulas head close enough to cut off a few hairs, "This will be and official Ag-Ni-Kai."

Azula glares at the girl, "Fine, Zu-zu, will officiate."

With this, Zuko steps out of the shadows and into the dying light in the courtyard.

When the girl agrees, Azula's lips once again form that cruel smile. The two girls meet in the center of the courtyard and then face away from each other taking 10 steps each in the opposite direction then kneeling on one knee. When Zuko gives the signal, both girls stand to face the other and Azula immediately fires a lightning bolt at the other girl, who deflects it using a similar technique to Iroh's.

Suddenly, it seems like the other girl is performing a dance, and the skies are growing dark. Suddenly lightning flashes and it starts to pour. When the dancing girl faces Azula once again, she's taken off her mask and is smiling. Azula frowns but is not deterred. The dancing girl starts to take small steps towards Azula and makes several downward slashing motions with her hands. First lightning strikes on Azula's left, then right in back of her, then right in front of her.

Azula lets off a frustrated yell and fires another lightning bolt at the other girl, who this time, makes a wall of water to block it sending sparks in every direction. The girl uses a modified version of the water whip and wraps the water around one of Azula's legs, then it pulls and Azula goes into a split.

"Zuko, this is a Fire duel, not a bending duel," Azula complains over the roar of the storm.

"She's right, stick to Fire, or I will declare Azula the winner," He shouts back.

The girl smirks and releases the water. Even in the pouring rain, she is able to create large, white hot fire bursts from her wrists and feet. After firing several at Azula, Azula fires back with more lightning and white hot fire bursts. The girl avoids all these just as Azula dodged her attacks. Finally, The girl get's fed up with the long range attacks and charges in with white hot fire daggers at the ready. Azula faces her as if not afraid, but has never really done much training in close quarters combat. Like every firebending child, she can of course make flame daggers, but is not very skilled in using them.

Both girls start stabbing, slashing and burning with their own set of daggers, Azula making less of an impression than she would like. The duel ends when the other girl has Azula pinned on the ground with a dagger at her throat.

"Duel over! Winner, declare your name!" Zuko announces.

"My name is Aya, don't you ever forget it," She states coldly. She leaves Azula with a long thin burn down one of her arms to remind her of her loss as is her right.

"I dispute her claim of victory!" Shouts Azula angrily.

"There is nothing to dispute, you lost Azula," Zuko states plainly, "And I enjoyed being able to watch it. She found your weakness."

"She was waterbending! How can she do both? Are you the Fire Lord's son or not? Arrest her!!!" Azula spouts off at Zuko.

Zuko just looks at his insane sister saddly, "If I were to do that, I wouldn't be able to see mother."

"Mother is dead. Father killed her himself," Azula shoots back at him.

Aya breaks in at this point, "He couldn't do it. He loved her and smuggled her away. Out of the Fire Nation's graps. Now, I expect you out of this city by sunrise."

Zuko just walks up to Aya and starts to hug her, "Aya," he begins.

Aya shoves him back so forcefully, he falls on his butt, "Don't touch me. You have no right. I still maintain I should kill you. However, Lady Ursa want's to see you. Do not think of me as your friend. Do NOT touch me... Ever. If you want to see your mother, follow me. Otherwise, leave with your sister."

She turns and starts to walk gracefully and silently out of the palace and Zuko follows behind her eager to see his mother.

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A/N: I hope this quashes any mary sue problems. Let me know how I did with the fight scene!! Review!!


	6. Chapter 6

After leaving the palace, they make their way down to the darker part of the middle ring. Aya leads Zuko down a dark alley to a mid-sized house and walks in.

"Wait here, I'll inform Lady Ursa you're here," Aya commands softly before walking further into the house and up some stairs.

Zuko sits in the foyer looking around at the decor and wondering if his mother was the one who chose the decorations. In one painting, Avatar Roku's temple and isle is depicted at sunup, another shows a stunning scene of the Northern Water Tribe's complex city. There are many other paintings, several vases, and some boxes and trinkets. On one table is a particularly beautiful flower arrangement, at which Zuko only briefly sniffs before sitting in a chair that is next to the recption room's couch.

Several minutes pass and his mother is finally seen descending the stairs. She walks toward him, slowly at first not really recognizing him, then more quickly as she realizes it really is her Zuko. After a touching few moments of "My son i missed you so much," and "I missed you too mom," they move into the living room and Ursa calls for Aya.

"Yes ma'am?" Aya asks as she walks into the room dressed in a beautiful red silk-like chinese style dress.

"I believe Zuko and I will have some tea and snacks," the lady states kindly.

Aya only nods before moving into the kitchen to make some tea and prepare some snacks for the recently reunited.

"Mother, what happened? Why'd you leave?" Zuko asks anxiously.

Ursa begins slowly, "Your grandfather grew angry with your father after he requested that he be made heir to the throne instead of Iroh. At first he wanted your father to kill you, then he decided it would be more painful for him if he had to kill someone he loved for many years rather than a son he wasn't entirely happy with. Thus, your grandfather ordered your father to kill me." She pauses before going on, "However, your father did truely love me and could not kill me. So, he smuggled me onto a fishing boat and arranged for transport for me from there to the Earth Kingdom."

Zuko looks away relieved his father couldn't bring himself to kill her.

"What about you, Son, How'd you get that ghastly scar?" she inquires.

Just as Zuko is about to regail her with the story, Aya comes in with the tea and sets the tray down on the table and serves the tea and leaves them each to pick their own snacks and talk in private.

Zuko then begins to tell her how Azula became even more cruel after she left. He goes on to explain abou the meeting in the war chamber and about the Ag-Ni-Kai with his father.

When Ursa hears it was her husband that gave him that scar, she gasps in shock and sighs.

Zuko goes on to tell her about his search for the Avatar, and his travels after that. When he gets to the part about betraying Iroh, Ursa stops him.

"You betrayed him after all he's done for you? After he travelled with you for so long and treated you like his own son?" Ursa is absolutely appalled.

He looks down in shame and continues, "I feel horrible about it. I've been looking for him since then. I'm sure he escaped from the Dai-Lee remnants. I didn't mean to, but he really gave me little choice. It was betray him and capture the Avatar and take over the city to regain my honor, or keep serving tea in a shop on the run from the Fire Nation forever. Mom, do you hate me after what I've done?"

Ursa smiles softly at him. "Zuko, I may hate the things you do, or the things you say, but I could never hate you. You will always be my beloved son."

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A/N: I know i'm late in getting this out. Sorry!! I'll post another one tonight for you!! But then it'll be a few days, as I have caught up with myself. Also, that last line... that's something like what my grandma says to me... So it is my tribute to her!


	7. Chapter 7

After discussing their own recent pasts, Zuko becomes curious about Aya's past.

"Mom, has Aya told you anything about her past? How she got out of that prison for instance?" Zuko asks quietly.

"She has, but that is not my story to tell," Ursa states plainly. "Aya!" She calls.

Aya walks back into the room and bows, "Yes ma'am?"

The Lady smiles sweetly at Aya. "Zuko has been wondering how you came to be here. Would you like to tell him?"

Aya shakes her head firmly, "With all due respect, I would rather not talk to him at all. However, you have my permission to tell him anything I've told you. It will not change how I feel about him, or how I act toward him."

Lady Ursa nods and dismisses Aya before beginning the tale, "When you were banished, she heard nothing of it, and you never came back. She felt betrayed and lonely. The guards of the prison were slowly killing her. She grew thinner, paler, weaker, they even began to take an intrest in her body. She was 14 and nearing 15. Zuko, I can't immagine what it was like." She pauses thinking intently on how to phrase it more clearly yet not coarsely.

"Just before her 15th birthday, the guards decided nobody would care if they had a bit of fun with her. Three of them each took their turn with her." When Zuko still gives her a confused look she sighs and rewords it again, "They deflowered her by force. Zuko, for heaven's sake, they raped the poor girl."

Zuko just reels back with the shock. "They... Oh god..."

Ursa continues the story, "Naturally this triggered a primal anger and flew off the handle and used all the bending she possesed to break out of that prison and get away from the Fire Nation. She ended up here a short time later and I discovered her putting on a waterbending show for the local population. After the show, I spoke with her and she agreed to come work here for me as my helper. She still performs, well, she did. For a while, but now she just keeps me company," She concludes.

Zuko just sits there in shock. That was why she's so angry with me. She feels that I really did betray her. I should have taken her with me. I shouldn't have left her there...

Ursa asks Zuko if he'd like to stay the night, and of course, Zuko readily accepts the offer.

"Aya, please make sure the guest bedroom is fit for Zuko. He'll be staying the night," She explains.

Aya bows at the door way and goes upstairs to prepare the room. When she's almost done, Zuko appears in the doorway.

"I'm really sorry, I should have taken you with me when I was banished," Zuko appologizes.

Aya just ignores his presence and continues to prepare the room.

"Come on, Aya. I really didn't want anything bad to happen to you," Zuko tries to coax her to talk to him.

"Zuko, I don't want to talk about it anymore than you want to talk about how you got your scar, I'm sure," She walks to the door and pauses, waiting for Zuko to move out of the doorway.

He places a hand on her shoulder only to have it grabbed by a scalding hot hand of Aya's.

"I told you, don't touch me. Nobody touches me," she growls out lowly. "Sleep well, I'm sure your mother will want to do some things tomorrow with you." She marches out of the room shouldering Zuko out of the way.

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A/N: So here it is... Chapter 7. Well, we'll see what happens down the line!!!


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, Lady Ursa decides that she'll take Zuko to a nice play and then to lunch and then shopping. About mid morning they set out to get some nice clothes for the play. Lady Ursa is holding Zuko's hand as they walk and Aya follows behind them a few steps.

They walk into a small but ornately decorated shop. Lady Ursa talks to the owner of the shop and they decide to talk more privately. That leaves Aya and Zuko alone, again.

"A... Aya," Zuko starts, "I want to make things up to you." 

"Zuko, please just be quiet. I am fine now, and I'm a better person for living through that," Aya snaps.

Zuko walks over to her and grabs her by both shoulders causing her to tense up and close her eyes tightly. "Listen to me Aya, I never stopped considering you a friend. I don't want you to be upset with me."

As soon as Zuko grabbed her, Aya was thrown back into that horrible memory. It was not Zuko grabbing her, but a much larger guard and one of the other two guards was behind her reaching his hands infront of her and touching her. She starts to cry and is told if she makes even a single sound, they'd kill her and no one would miss her.

"Aya... AYA! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Zuko yells at her. He starts to shake her gently. Then he grabs her and holds her to him in a tight hug. "Aya, I'm so sorry," he whispers as the tears continue to flow down her face.

As soon as Aya's eyes open and she realizes that she is not in that dark dungeon, but in a brightly lit generously decorated shop, she pushes away from Zuko and immediately hides her face and the tears, "I told you, no one touches me." She takes a shakey breath, "Don't do that again."

Zuko just puts his arms down, huffs and sits in a chair and thinks to himself, 'Girls... I don't get them at all. I was only trying to make things right.'

Aya turns to look out a window and watches the people walk by. Suddenly a face appears in the crowd that should not have been there, as a matter of fact it should have been far away from this city by now. "Azula," she whispers to herself.

"Stay here. Do not follow me," is all she says to Zuko before she rushes out of the shop.

She tails Azula for about a block until she's sure she's out of range of the shop. She clenches her fist and forms a flame dagger. Silently, Aya rushes up and angles the dagger at Azula's throat.

"You should not be here. I told you to leave," Aya hisses in Azula's ear.

Before Aya can react, Azula formed her own flame dagger and shoved it into Aya's side. "Try to tell me that now," Azula growls as she walks away.

Aya gasps and even as she falls to the ground she mentally berates herself, 'How could I have been so stupid. I was so careless. I should have seen that coming.'

She hits the ground hard and curls up into a ball. 'She must have hit one of my lungs. I can't breathe right.' Since she's in a small back alley, she's fairly certain noone will see her and if noone sees her, she'll die. However, she can't move either, she has no choice but to lie there gasping for every little breath and trying to not pass out from the pain it takes just to breathe. After several minutes of breathing hard and the pain, she loses consciousness.

Zuko sits back in the shop waiting for the return of both his mother and Aya. He becomes irritated after only a few minutes of waiting but then starts to doze off. He sleeps for only a few minutes before his mother returns to the room and wakes him.

"Zuko, wake up my sweet boy," Lady Ursa coos softly while stroking his face.

"Mom, I'm not 5 anymore," Zuko states groggily.

"Zuko, where's Aya?" She asks quietly.

"I don't know. She ran off outside a while ago," is Zuko's reply.

The Lady starts to look worried, "I do hope she's not getting into any trouble. Well, we'll get you measured and fitted a while."


	9. Chapter 9

After Zuko and Lady Ursa are fitted with new clothing for the play, and Aya has yet to return, they decide to look for her. Lady Ursa decides to check the house while Zuko looks for her around the shop. After walking around for a few minutes, he stumbles across Azula still in the city.

"What are you doing here?!" Zuko roars at Azula.

"I decided I'm not ready to leave my city," She shrugs out.

This puts Zuko on edge and alert, for Azula never does things like this without a plan of some sort in action.

'What is she scheming?' he wonders to himself.

"You lost an official Ag-Ni-Kai, the conditions were u leave and take your troops with you," He growls out at his sister.

"Yeah? And who's going to make me Zu-Zu? You? Or that brat that beat me? HA HA! She's going to die and then noone will be able to defeat me. This is MY city! I WILL NOT leave it," Azula retorts.

Zuko takes a step back, "Where is she?? What have you done to her?"

Azula laugh shrilly, "Why do you care? She doesn't care about you. She doesn't even want to be near you."

"You're wrong Azula, even if she doesn't care... I do," is all Zuko says before walking off to look for Aya more knowing Azula won't answer his questions.

By some odd happenings, Zuko ends up down the very alley where Aya is lying unconcious. She's shivering and obviously in pain.

"Aya, hold on. We'll get you help," he whispers to her uncoincious form before picking her up and running back to the house with her.

Once at the house, Lady Ursa calls for a doctor who spends several hours trying to stop the pain and heal the wound, when suddenly, Aya wakes up.

"All I need is water," she groans and huffs out.

"Young lady, you need more than water, I don't think you're going to live," the doctor says rather crassly.

"Just bring me the damn water, and don't touch me anymore," Aya demands with a wheeze.

The doctor brings the water and Aya sticks her hand in the water. When she pulls back, the water is swirling around her hand and glowing blue with it's healing power. She puts her hand to her side where the water flows into and over the wound. Once the water is gone, a dark scar is left in it's place.

Aya sighs and falls back to the bed and right back to sleep.

When the doctor announces she'll be fine, he takes his payment and leaves. Zuko rushes into the room and sits at her bed side just watching her sleep. Lady Ursa smiles when she sees that Zuko has an interest in Aya and leaves the room.

A few hours later, Aya wakes again to find Zuko asleep slumped on the side of the bed. Aya gets out of the bed and gently shakes Zuko awake.

"If you're going to sleep, get in the bed. I'll get you some warm milk," Aya says softly as she walks from the room.

When she returns with the warm milk, Zuko is already fast asleep again. She shrugs and drinks the milk herself. She leaves the room and goes to sit on the couch in the living room. Soon after sitting down, she falls asleep and like most nights, she has no dream.


End file.
